Category Archives: printmaking

I’m happy to say that I was able to accomplish most of them! Except for “Work with glass”, which I hope I get to try on 2014. 🙂

Here are artsycraftsy items I was also able to experience, items from a grand bucket list.
2013 has been such a generous, wonderful year, and my happiness and gratefulness bucket brimmeth over as well:

A few months ago, we were blessed with a fantastic opportunity, which we immediately grabbed. This blessing would mean we’d have to move and we accepted that with giddy hearts. We’re not yet truly done with the whole moving shebang, but I couldn’t resist decorating the new place even when it’s not the top priority–eep!

The previous tenants used extra-strong double-sided tape in affixing stuff to the wall, so there are some unsightly adhesive spots. Since I had to cover these spots, I stuck some of my artworks and art/snailmail that I received from awesome people to the walls using my ever-favorite washi tape.

I’m happy about the numerous white walls I can affix stuff to and our bookshelf! I’ve always wanted a tall bookshelf with a glass panel so that it won’t be too dusty (asthmatic problems hehe) and hard to clean, and so that I can admire them books–my preciousssessss.

But! We’ve also invested in some under-the-bed storage boxes and filled four (!!) of them with books and magazines. We’ve also converted some cabinets that should be for shoes into bookshelves, cause for me and my partner, books trump shoes.

Our former home didn’t have an elevator, so it was quite a challenge moving with these babies. These are only half of what I’ve decided I couldn’t part with.

I’m a morning person and I love the sun. However, the afternoon glare is a bit too wild in this new place. I didn’t like the flimsy white curtains sold at the mall, and couldn’t find dainty lace ones (any leads?). The thick white ones were too pricey. Good thing I was able to buy a fabric shower curtain that had this nice metallic gold and white pattern in one side, and silver and white in the back side. I wasn’t able to buy curtain hooks so I made do with what I had, and used safety pins. Success!

I want to hoard those shower curtains, but the one I saw seemed to be the last piece. Heh.

Speaking of hoarding, the main lesson I’ve learned with this move (this is the third time I’ve moved) is that I should lessen my hoarding and my attachment to material things. I gave away more than thirty books and more than fifty magazines that I loved and cherished to people who might be able to give them better homes than just throwing them. I wanted to donate them to charity but I don’t have a car and it’s a challenge lugging them around. I also considered selling them since I could use the moolah, but it was a bit more complex setting that up, (bank deposit, coordination, shipping, meetups, etc.) and I needed all the time I could get, so I decided to just give them away. For weeks I’ve carried some to work for office friends who might be interested. I hope they like them, and that they’re well taken care of. 🙂

I also realized that I’ve accumulated quite a lot of arts/crafts materials, since I tend to forget that I already bought this brush/card set. My goal starting now is to organize my supplies more, so this won’t happen again. I should also use these hoarded materials, which is what I’m doing now with my washi tape. If you’ve taken a peek at my Instagram account, username’s @aphazia, you’ve seen these already:

I like the designs of Cath Kidston so I used my pretty floral mint green and pink washi tape and used it to decorate the cabinets. I’m happy I got over my fear of using the pricey washi tapes and realized how life quickly changes and how each day should be filled with things that make you happy. So go on and use that nice perfume before it evaporates, dress up (you never know what possibilities await you!), go wild with your expensive art supplies and make beautiful art, or make a mess–just use it now if it gives you joy. 🙂 Have fun creating!

The other night I made some monotype prints. A monotypeis a print that’s made by pressing paper against an inked or painted surface.

It’s slightly different from a monoprint. Basically a monotype uses a featureless plate that would result in one unique print, while a monoprint uses a plate with permanent features like texture or lines that will persist in each print, depending on how the plate was inked before the printing process. This link explains it in more detail.

Since I have little patience and even less moolah, I’ve revised the usual way of doing monotype print (meaning it usually involves a brayer and a glass sheet/plexiglass which I don’t have). I’m sharing my quick, easy, and cheap monotype tutorial with you!

What you’ll need:

– Watercolor paint in tubes. Or if you want it to not dry up so fast, try oil paint.

– Palette knife (optional-you can also use a chopstick, a straw, a blunt knife, old credit cards or old call cards, ballpen cap, matches, or none at all, since I primarily used my fingers heh)

– Flat plastic packaging (recycle! I used the plastic from the art paper but if you have extra plastic cover that will also probably work), use only one side, so for the plastic packaging, cut it so that you’ll have two plastic sheets

HOW TO DO IT:
1. You’ll be using the plastic sheet as your pseudo-plexiglass surface. This is your printing plate. Stick it to the newspaper and stick it again to a smooth surface using your tape. Or not. I stuck mine to the newspaper atop my yoga mat since that’s where I craft (and eat and do yoga but that’s another story)

2. Squeeze your paint directly onto your plastic sheet. Or you can mix up the colors that you want first, but this is how I did mine:

I squeezed all the colors I wanted here onto the plastic sheet:

3. Now the fun begins! Using the palette knife or whatever tool you want), move the paint around the plastic sheet to make your design. Work fast, or the paint might dry! I just made random swirls. Imagine you’re the great artist Rafael Pacheco and try finger painting, which is what I did. Highly enjoyable and relaxing as well. I like the feeling of making a creative mess with my hands:

Interlude: My messy hands:

The top of my paper tape was waxy, so that’s what I used as a makeshift mixing plate:

4. When you’re happy with your design, it’s time to create your print! They often said that the paper should be damp, but I didn’t have a spray bottle for the water or a huge flat pan so I used dry paper. Try working with damp paper next time, and make sure you pat it into a semi-dry state using a towel, so it’s not that drippy. In printmaking class, we sandwiched the dripping paper between a folded towel. You can try that if you want, experiment and see which technique you like best.

I used dry oslo paper. It helps if you hold the two diagonal corners while pressing it down to your design so that there are no air bubbles. Work quickly, before the watercolor paint dries! Which is what happened to me, oops. Press the paper against the paint with your hands or the back of a wooden spoon or a brayer if you have one, but what I did was to use my body weight for less effort. Meaning: I stomped on top of the paper (but to be more effective, you must walk slowly in every area of the paper. Careful not to drag the paper accidentally!). I read about this technique from this wonderful printmaking book called “Hand Printing from Nature: Create Unique Prints for Fabric, Paper, and Other Surfaces Using Natural and Found Materials” by Laura Donnelly Bethmann. A must-read if you’re interested in creating your own prints!

5. You now have your finished one-of-a-kind print! What’s great about the monotype technique is that the results are wonderfully unpredictable, so if you like surprise artworks, you’d definitely like experimenting with this printing technique. 🙂 If you’re using watercolor paint, you have to keep in mind that you have to work pretty fast or else the paint will dry up in the plastic sheet. Some details did not appear since they were already dry, but that’s okay.

Here’s my first attempt. I did abstract works for now, but am looking forward to making monotype merbirds in the near future!

P.S.
I poured a lot of water atop the plastic sheet and pressed paper against it and loved the wash I got:

I have come to terms with the fact that I am a scanner and someone who has an extremely short attention span. When I obsess about a certain craft or art material,
I have this mistake of hoarding, only to be distracted by the next metaphorically
shiny thing. But good things do come out of that trait–I get to find out what material/technique/craft works for me and what doesn’t (like embroidery, but maybe
I can conquer that soon!)

What I love:Clay.
Here’s a clay necklace inspired by Yayoi Kusama. Can’t wait for the Kusama exhibit at the Ayala Museum next week!

Colored pencils.
Drew a peony. I used my watercolor pencils for this, and planned on wetting it but changed my mind:

Water soluble oil paint. (Hardcore oil paint might make me sick due to the
fumes, heh)
Used my palette knife in making this. I think I might be in love with that knife.
These are small canvas paintings:

Watercolor, always and forever.
Very tricky to work with, but teaches me to love imperfections and challenges me to keep on experimenting with the material. Created some note cards. gift tags, and
a zine called “Huggable Noms”, which contains my comfort foodstuff:

Washi tape. How can you not love washi tape?
To frame my drypoint cat done in printmaking class, I used neon washi tape.
Yes, I have no patience for measuring, haha:

I’ve been a bit busy with work lately but I promised myself that I should draw/craft each day since I discovered that it’s what I really enjoy doing–a gift to myself, in a way.

Some watercolored flowers:

I was reading the book Tikim by Doreen Fernandez and was delighted to read a piece about pastillas wrapper art, something I’ve always dreamt of owning, making. Armed with my leftover papel de japon and scrapbooking scissors, I made a freehand merbird cutting:

Now to make pastillas. Hmm. I used to be obsessed with no-cook pastillas as a kid, and even drew the steps so I won’t forget. It involved condensed milk and powdered milk and dayap rind and I would often make it since it was so easy and yummy.

My printmaking workshop ended last week! My last piece was a kitty I drew in plexiglass using the drypoint technique:

Since I love cats, it’s also what inspired me for our class exhibit piece for our graduation day in Mr. Fernando Sena’s art workshop. This is done in pastel, 1/4 illustration board:

I practiced learning watercolor using a painting by artist Thomas Kinkade as reference, which made it even more challenging, considering that manipulating the medium is already a challenge, and we worked on plain sketchbooks (I was afraid I might tear the paper when I got it too wet):

Learned about abstract painting too! I name this “Sayaw ng Sirena” (Mermaid’s dance), also done in pastel. I think I might be in love with oil pastel:

Printmaking activities–my first collagraph:
Here it is with color, Mariposa’s dream. I created a papercut and added additional elements from nature:

With my classmates and instructors:

Aside from the glorious sunset after class, I also enjoy chasing this elusive kitty:

After last week’s class I was able to see my very first real sunflower! I’m not from UP so this is magical for me, heh:

We ate at ROC and met a playful kitty who stood up on her hind legs just to play with the string on my shirt hahaha. That same kitty kept on meowing for our attention and which woke up this sleeping beauty:

I ordered a Speedball E-Z carve rubberblock from Aya and made a mini rubbercut print of an elephant, because I love elephants:

Aside from learning about Printmaking from the PAP, I’m also learning about basic art concepts from the great master Fernando Sena. I wish I took up art classes from him when I was younger but oh well, it’s never too late! I’m learning so much, and I’m planning to take more lessons until I finish the entire course. Maybe after that I can finally achieve my dreams of having my works exhibited hehe (hint, hint, Universe! 🙂 ).

I learned about shading:

…and drawing portraits. Here’s my dad and mom:

I also learned figure drawing. We were given scantily-clad muscled men drawings to imitate and we were instructed to dress them up. I chose to make them women:

Pastel never really appealed to me, until I learned how to use it properly. The trick is to really push it hard against the paper and not leave the white trace of the paper underneath. I always get amazed when it blends smoothly with previous colors, but my hands are really sore recently because of the muscle strain. I’m a bit pressured when drawing in class and I get shy when people check out my work but tell myself it’s part of the learning process.

Our assignment was to draw a local landscape scene and I chose a photo I took of Mt. Pinatubo’s crater, when we climbed it several years ago. The crater lake is originally just blue because the sun was too hot and didn’t cast shadows on the lake but the teacher repaired it and added shadows, which gives it more depth. I tell myself it’s a collab between me and the master and I get the giddies hahaha.

Before that, we had to draw this landscape scene involving this bahay kubo:

My classes have inspired and motivated me to keep on drawing and crafting, and I find myself with that growing desire each day, which leads me to overstuff my bag with materials I think I might use like these mint-colored pens and pencil, ready for the muse’s call. Or maybe that’s just an excuse to hoard, and look (and use when there’s time) at these pretties:

I’ve been drawing my food more often.

Pink apple mangoes, painted using watercolor:

Pondering Pon de ring donut ponders how YOLO:

Pon de rings I drew with pastel before I ate them:

I’ve stopped cutting paper temporarily because it also hurts my hand (and it’s still achy from the pastel dorkwings) but I kept on thinking of making something like this so I made it anyway. Papercut and watercolor:

As a kid, summer equals “reading season”. My friends and cousins would be out there, having taekwondo lessons and music and art lessons while I chose to stay at home with my book-related adventures. Asked if I wanted to learn something new, I’d answer no, I’d rather stay in bed and read, and I was pretty much content with that, but deep down in my heart I knew I wanted to learn more about arts and crafts.

But–I was afraid. I was too shy and awkward and I feared failure and rejection too much that I didn’t even bother trying at all.

My fears overpowered my desire and that was a shame because if I really think about it, workshops are meant to be fun and not competitive–which is why I’m making up for lost time by joining as many workshops as my budget and time and schedule could allow. It’s challenging myself to follow through with that desire to create, to learn about various processes and techniques that are all transferable in the lovely world of arts and crafts. It’s also a neverending process of discovery, and I am learning about the techniques and materials that are suited for me and my short attention span. I also have the scanner personality, so there’s this huge urge to just try everything that interests me, even for a short amount of time.

Printmaking
I learned about this workshop from various friends, who all told me how they really loved their experience. Held at the headquarters of the Philippine Association of Printmakers, near CCP, you get to learn about basic printmaking techniques. I discovered that I am much too excitable which results in overinking (oops) and mismatched prints (shaky hands!) but this teaches me to see beauty in imperfection and to temper my excitement when using the press haha.

For my first monotype print, I made a merbird! Here are the other prints I made:

I also tried drypoint, a mermaid! I bought an old xray I had and used it to make this print:

Also stalked some kitties. I like that the area is shady and windy and has a nice unobstructed view of the sunset:

Creativity + Level 2 Watercolor Crafternoon by Alessa from Life After Breakfast
Been wanting to try this set for the longest time, and I was so excited when I opened the box!

Attempted to paint some shells. Lesson to self: Find an easier angle for intricate objects heh.

Enjoyed the group “collab”:

Met a lot of new friends and learned about color mixing here! Here’s the group:

Yay to artsycraftsy learning! Photo taken by new friend Mars, thanks Mars!

P.S. I got myself some statis flowers to spiffify the house. PLaced it inside jars decorated with washi tape. They make me smile each time I see them. I also have a vase with the same flowers in my office desk, to add cheer to my workstation.

Mabuhay!

Hi! I'm Drea Dela Cruz, an artist/crafter from Manila, Philippines.

I love trying new things related to arts and crafts and experimenting with various materials.

I started this blog because I wanted to share my love for the DIY movement--I believe everyone has that artistic side that makes them unique and special and I support encouraging fellow makers. Keep on making things!

Aside from arts and crafts, I also enjoy reading books and magazines, playing with stray cats, traveling, and eating. I'd love to share my artsy-craftsy adventures and journey with you here!

If you wanna get in touch with me, kindly email: mabuhaydiy@gmail.com.